NATURE BY THE WATERSIDE 251 



believe to be the right one. For fifteen years 

 back I have systematically watched and examined 

 those parts of the rivers Kent, Mint and Sprint 

 where trout spawn. On these, fish of every size 

 were upon the gravel beds which constitute the 

 spawning " redds." Almost at every turn the 

 dipper glinted from a grey stone and went piping 

 up stream. As some of these were seen actually 

 rummaging among the pebbles a few were shot 

 for examination. Although the post-mortems 

 were carefully conducted, no trace in any 

 single instance of the presence of ova of either 

 trout or salmon could be found only larvse of 

 water-haunting insects, roughly representing the 

 four great families of trout-flies. It may be 

 admitted that individual dippers have been seen with 

 tiny fish in their bills, and dippers in confinement 

 have been fed upon them. It may be asserted, 

 then, that the water-ouzel has been known to eat 

 fish, but that fish form no chief portion of its food ; 

 and finally, that it would be quite incorrect to 

 describe it as a fish- eating bird, and therefore as an 

 enemy to salmon and trout. On the other hand it 

 is not difficult to show that it is indirectly beneficial 

 to a fishery. It is well known that among the 

 chief enemies to spawn are the larvae known as 

 caddis-worms, that of the dragon-fly, May-fly and 

 stone-fly, and also of the various water-beetles. 

 Now, all these have been found in the stomach of the 

 dipper, and therefore it must confer a decided benefit 

 on the salmon and trout streams where it haunts. 

 Waterfowl are among the trout-stream poachers, 

 and the swan is a perfect gourmand. Some Water- 

 of the best streams in the district have been fowl 

 seriously injured in this respect, and this is not to be 



